Obesity Is Not A Disease

In the pages of the Guardian today, George Monbiot claims that ‘obesity is an incurable disease’ that ‘resembles cancer’. Needless to say, capitalism and advertising are to blame.

He goes on to dispute with Monbiot whether it’s curable or not. But, whether it’s curable or incurable, I don’t think obesity is a disease. I don’t think being fat is any more a disease than being thin is a disease. Or being tall. Or short.

The simple truth of the matter is that some people find fat people ugly and unsightly. They have a set of ideal physical shapes and sizes for both men and women. Particularly women. Not too tall, not too short, not too fat, and not too thin. With a full set of brilliant…